Bill fold



D66. 3, 1929, C. L ENFANT v BILLFOLD FiledNov. 2e, 1927 5 sheets-sheet 1 33312* Stimme/13K Dec. 3, 1929, C, ENFANT 1,737,972

B ILLFOLD Filed Nov. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet .2

Dec. 3, 1929. c. L ENFANT 1,737,972

B ILLFOLD Filed Nov. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 52W/M @stof/naga Dec. 3, 1929. c. LENFANT 1,737,972

B ILLFOLD Filed Nov. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 3, 1929. c. LENFANT BILLFOLD Filed Nov. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 3, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES LENFANT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IILL roLD Application med November 28, 1987. Serial No. 835,814.

This invention relates to billfolds or similar foldable article-receiving cases, and has for its general object'and purpose to provide an aricle of this character of simple and novel construction, enabling the same to be expeditiously produced in large quantities with an economical consumption of materials, and at comparatively low manufacturing cost.`

It is a more particular object of my present improvements to provide such a billfold having a longitudinally extending bill receiving pocket in addition to' a plurality of card receiving pockets and wherein the several parts are so constructed and relatively arranged as to also enable a check book to be conveniently carried in the bill receiving pocket and the device folded upon itself along a central transverse line and the sect-ions thereof fastened in such folded relation so that in such compact folded form, the

billfold will. not be excessively bulky andcan be conveniently carried in the pocket.-

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, the device consists essentially of inner and outer main sections. and it is one of the important features of the invention to provide said inner section with a main body wall out fr om a single piece of cloth, imitation leather or other material and embodying a plurality of relatively foldable parts to thereby roduce the inner longitudinal wall. of t-he bill receiving pocket and a plurality of card receiving pocketson the outer face of said wall.

It is also another object of the invention to provide an outer section of the billfold of`novel'construction, whereby the inner section thereof with the parts in properly folded relation may be accurately superimposed upon the inner side of said outer section and interlocked therewith so that the marginal edges of the outer section may be turned inwardly upon the marginal edges of the said inner section and stitched or otherwise per? manently secured thereto.

It is also an additional object of the invention to provide an accessory attachment for'the billfold, a number of additional card receiving pockets having' transparent-windows hingedly secured to an attaching mein ber alongthe transverse central line thereof, the o posite end portions of which member are a apted to be removably engaged inthe opposed ends of card receiving pockets on the inner section of the billfold.

With the above and otherl obiects in view, the invention consists in the improved billfold, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, and -subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings,` wherein I have illustrated several simple and practicalembodiments of my present improvements, and vin whlch similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the inner section of the billfold is formed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing another stage 1n the method of making said innerA section of the billfold;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view showing a suc ceeding step in making said inner section;

n Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer sect10n of the billfold;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the inner section as seen in Fig.' 3assembled upon said outer section in position to be permanently secured thereto;

Fig. 6- is an inner face view of the completed billfold;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the billfold folded upon itself and the parts fastened to each other;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the inner section of a billfold showing a slightly modified construction;

Figs. 9 and 10are perspective views illus? ing the auxiliary transparent card holders for the billfold;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the billfold open showing thf` card holders in place and s illustrating another way in which a check book may be associated therewith, and

Fig. is a perspective view of the device when folded.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1 to 7 m inclusive, of the drawings, the embodiment of my invention as therein shown is composed of two principal sections, namely, the inner section illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings and the outer section shown 15 in Fig. 4.

The inner section consists essentially of aone piece body wall of cloth, imitation leather, or other suitable material indicated at 5 which is cut in proper outline form or shape to produce the several relatively foldable walls or parts' asl will be presently described.

Prior to the cutting of this flexible material, there is secured upon the inner or wrong side thereof by a suitable adhesive, a stiffening sheet of cardboard, heavy -linen or other suitable reinforcing material, the said sheet of reinforcing material being weakened or scored along the lines indicated at 7 so that 301 the section of the reinforcing material between these parallel score lines may be readily removed. The reinforced sheet is stamped or cut out to provide the pocket forming walls 8 and 9 respectively, on opposite sides of its center and in line with each other, and also to provide the additional pocket forming walls l0 opposite to the walls 8. These different parts of the blank are adapted to be folded relative to each other along 4'0- the lines indicated at 11, and if desired in order to facilitate this foldin the cardboard reinforcing material 6 may e scored along these lines. 'The inner opposed edges 7 of the walls 8 are indented or cut out as shown at 12, the purpose of which will be evident from reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The blankalso includes a widened extension 13 of one of the pocket walls 9. The leather or other facing material 5 extends beyond the ends of the walls 9 and the extension 13 andis adapted to be folded inwardly thereupon and secured to the same by a suitable adhesive as indicated at 14 so as to provide these parts with finished end edges.

One of the pocket walls 10 is provided with a flap extension 15 at one of its .ends foldable alongthe line 1 6, and adjacent to this fold line, a transversely extending slot 17 is cut through said flap in order to facilitate the folding thereof, together with the parts with which said flap is subsequently connected. v

The facing material 5 between the edges 7 of the pocket walls 10 and at the fold line 11 between said walls and the pocket Walls 8 is provided with a short free extension 18 which is adapted to be folded over upon the inner side of the facing sheet as will be seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings to provide a finished edge to the facing material between these opposed edges of the pocket walls.

After the reinforced blank has been cut out inthe manner above described, the part or extension 13 of the pocket wall 9 is cut off from said pocket wall along one edge of the latter as indicated at A. Upon referring now to Fig. l2 of the-drawings, it will be observed that this cut off portion 13 of the blank is then reversed in position and arranged'upon the inner side of the facing sheet 5 between the pocket walls 10 so as to bridge the space between said pocket walls and extend upon the same. The finished edge formed by turning over the facing material at 14 is accuratelyV located in line with the finished edge of the facing sheet 5 formed by turning the extension 18 thereof inwardly upon said sheet, the

part 13 overlying this inwardly turned exe tension of the facing sheet. The opposite edge of the part 13 is spaced above the Vlower edges of the pocket walls 10 and said part 13 is then suitably secured to the facing sheet 5. as by the central transverse line of stitching 19. The lower edge of the material 5 is also cut away between the edges 7 of the pocket Walls and is in line with the edge of the part`13. At each side of this line of stitching, the part 13 remains free or unsecured.

In the next step the pocket forming walls 9 of the blank are folded over and inwardly along the lines 11 upon the Walls 8, said walls 8 and 9 being of equal length so that the free ends of the walls 9 will overlie the indented or recessed end edges 12 of the walls 8. These two walls 8 and 9 at each side of the center of the blank are then folded together over and upon the walls 10 and upon the, end portions of the part 13 as will be clearly seen from reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, said walls 8, 9 and 10 all being of uniform width so that when thus folded, their free longitudinal edges lie in the same plane. It w-ill therefore, be seen that there is thus produced two pockets between the walls 8 and 9 open at their opposed inner ends, and also two additional pockets between the walls 9 and 10 which are open at both of their ends and into the inner opposed ends of which the free portions of the part 13 extend. f

The outer section of the dev-ice consists of inner and outer sheets of leather or other flexible material indicated at 20 and 21 respectively. The inner sheet 20 is preferably reinforced on the face thereof opposed to the outer sheet 21 by a long strip or sheet of paper or cardboard indicated at 22 anda relatively short length of paper or cardboard 23 secured to one end of said fiexible sheet in spaced relation to the reinforcing material.

22. These reinforcing sheets 22 and 23 are also somewhat narrower than the leather or fabric sheet 20 which projects at one of its longitudinal edges Vbeyond the reinforcing jsheets as indicated at 24. The other longitudinal edges of the inner leather or fabric sheet 20 and its reinforcing sheets are secured to one longitudinal edge of the outer leather sheet 21, preferably by turning over the edge of this outer sheetand stitching the parts together as indicated at 25. By

'means of this same line of stitching, the rela- 26 also preferably consists of a sheet of cardboard having its inner side faced with imitation leather.

It will also be noted that the outer leatherl sheet 21 is of greater length and width than the inner sheet 20 so that after the parts have `been secured together by the stitching 25,

the opposite longitudinal margin and the end marginal portions 27 of the outer sheet 21 project beyond the corresponding en d edges of the inner sheet 20.

Having assembled the several parts composing the outer section of the device in the manner above described and also having one of the inner sections constructed and folded in the manner shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the said inner section is now arranged in superimposed relation upon the inner side .of said outer section, and the flap extension 15 of the pocket wall 9 of said inner section is inserted between the widened end portion 26 of the part 26 and the inner sheet 22 of said outer section while the narrow portion 26'* of said part extends longitudinally between the wall 10 and the opposed pocket wall 9 of the inner section of the device. This arrangement will position the integrally connected edges of the pocket walls 8 and 9 along the fold line 11 substantially in coincident parallel relation with the line of stitching 25, and slightly below the longitudinal edge of the outer section of the device. Also when thus positioned, the slot 27 in the flap 15 approximately overlies the unreinforced portion of the inner sheet 20 of said outer section between the ends of the reinforcing parts 22 and 23 thereof.

The projectingvmarginal edge portions 27' marginal edges and the several parts which they overlap being then secured` together by the stitching lines shown at 28. It will however, be observed that the lower end edge of the part 13 is not overlapped by the inturned 'marginal edge of the outer sheet 21 and is not secured by the stitching 28. The part 26 and flap 15, together with the inner and outer sheets 20 and 21 of the outer section may then be folded inwardly along the slot 17 to provide the fastening fla indicated at 29 in Fig. 6 of the drawings. T is flap is provided with one element 30 of a common form of snap fastener while the other element thereof indi# cated at 31 is suitably secured to the outer section of the device along its longitudinal center line and adjacent its opposite end. Thus, lwhen the body of the billfold is folded upon itself along its central transverse line, the flap 29 may be folded over upon the other end `of the billfold'and the fastening elements 30 and 31'connected.

It will; be evident that owinor to the great economy eected in the use cfa materials by the above ,described construction of the inner and outer sections of the device and the manner of and assemblage and connection with each other, the device when folded as in Fig. 6 will be of unusually compact form and minimum bulk. Furthermore, I havefound that by reason of such construction, it is possible to carry a foldable check book as indicated at 32 in the longitudinal pocket formed between the inner sheet 20 of the outer section of the device and the walls 10 of the inner section thereof, in addition to the bills contained therelin and to then fold the device as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings without serious linconvenience in the use of the device to the increased bulk thereof. In addition to the bill and check book holding pocket, it issseen that` the device also provides in the inner secL tion thereof two opposed pockets open at their inner ends to receive cards, memoranda o r other articles, and also an additional pocket at one end ofsaid inner section between the walls 9 and 10 which is open at its inner end and closed at its outer end. If desired, in-y stead of placing the check book within the longitudinal bill receivingI pocket, the stub end of the cardboard backing sheet for 'the checks may be inserted between tlie other pocket forming walls 9 and 10 of the device adjacent to the flap extension 29 as 'seen in Fig. 14 of the drawings. It will thus be appreciated that Iv have succeeded in producing -a`- billfold, which while of exceedingly simple construction and capableof rapid manufacture, possesses relatively greatf carrying capacity and greater utility than articles of this kind as heretofore made. Theprovision of the part 13 and thecentral portion of the fac` l' ing sheet 5 of the inner section of the device;

which is'unsecured to the'outer section, per- 130 mits of the distention of said inner facing sheet without buckling, the ends of the bridging piece 13 sliding freely between the walls 9 and 10. This feature however, is not herein claimed, as it forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 1,680,687, granted August 14, 1928.

In Figs. 9 to 14 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly different form of the device wherein the reinforced blank of the inner section is provided with the pocket walls 8 andJO, the fabric facing of the walls 8 at their opposed ends having projecting portions indicated at 8a to which the separate pocket walls 9 are attached at one of their ends by a suitable adhesive. The outer end vedgesfof the pocket walls 8 in this case are indented or recessed as at- 12. The fabric facing sheet is extended beyond the outer end of one of the walls l0 and a separate reinforcing piece of cardboard orpaper l5 is secured thereto to form a foldable flap. The outer end of the other pocket wall 10 is also formed with a foldable flap or extension 10, and as seen in Fig. 10 of the drawings, this Hap is adapted to be positioned lbetween the walls 8 and 9 within the open end of the pocketv formed thereby. The part 13 is applied in the same manner as above described, and in this case the longitudinal edge of the facing material projects beyond the longitudinal edge of the stiifening or reinforcing material as shown at 5. .In this construction, an outer section identically the same as that abovel described is provided and the inner section is assembled therewith in the same manner, namely, the flap 15 is interlocked with the part 26 and the lower longitudinal marginal edge and the end edges of the lsheet 21 of the outer section` is then turned inwardly and secured to the corresponding edges of the parts of the inner section. One element of the snap fastener is secured through the flap 10" and the walls 9 and 10 of the inner section.

In this alternative embodiment of my invention, it will be lseen that there is provided the longitudinal bill receiving pocket and the two the billfold, which however, in this case are closed at their inner ends and open at their outer ends, and there is also provided lthe additional pocket in one end portion of the device between the walls 9 and 10. In either form of my improved billfold as above described, I may employ an accessory consistinof a plurality of duplex card holding mem ers indicated at 33 each having ytransparent side walls of Celluloid or other similar material. As shown at Fig. 13, these members are centrally secured by a transverse line of stitching 34 to a reinforcedv fabric part-35, said part projecting longitudinally in opposite directions from said line of stitching. These end portions of the member y35 may be `flexed orjbent sufficiently to permit the same to be inserted between the pocket pockets of the inner part or section of' walls 9 and 10 or 9 and lOat the inner ends thereof, thus retaining the card holding at-y e 15 of the drawings, the parts are compactly` held so that the bulk thereof is reduced to a minimum.

' From -theforegoin description considered in connection with t e accompanying drawings, the several illustrated embodiments of my present improvements will be clearly and fully understood. It will be seen that I have devlsed an exceedingly simple constructiony of. the several parts and a method of assembhng the same andv securing said parts in proper relative position which enables suchv articles to .be manufactured on a quantity production basis at a minimum cost in labor and materials, so that notwithstanding the numerous features of utility which such a device possesses, it may be profitably sold at a price not exceeding that of such articles as heretofore produced in this art. Of course,

it is apparent that .the novel features of my present disclosure might also be embodied in various other sizes and in other forms or shapes than that shown in the drawings, and that various materials, used in the manufacture thereof and metal trimming of gold, silver or other recious metal also utilized, in accordance with the quality of the article and the price at which the same is to be sold.

It is accordingly tobe understood that in the commercial manufacture of a billfold ernbodying the essential features of my` present improvements, I do not desire to be restricted to the lprecise form, constructionl and relative arrangement of the several elements as herein disclosed, but reserve the privilege of resort-Y in to all such legitimate changes as may be of the invention as claimed.

I claim :V

1. A billfold comprising inner` and outer elongated sections forming a bill receiving pocket, said sections at one of their ends having interlocking parts for retaining said inner section in predetermined superimposed relation upon said outer section, and said outer section including a facing sheet having marginal edge portions folded inwardly upony and secured to the corresponding marginal edges of said inner section.

2. A billfold comprising inner and outer sections forming a bill'receiving pocket open along one longitudinal edge of the billfold, said inner 4section including integrally connected folded parts forming additional pockets open at one of their ends, said in ner section adapted to be positioned in superimposed relation upon said outer section and said outer section including an outer facing sheet having marginal edge portions inwardly turned upon the corresponding edges of said inner section and upon the walls of said latter pockets, and stitched thereto to' secure said marginal edges of the inner and outer sections to ether and close said pockets along one of thelr side edges.

3. A billfold comprising inner and outer sections forming a bill receiving pocket open along one longitudinal edge of the billfold, said inner section consisting of a single reinforced blank of flexible material having portions folded relative to each other to form additional pockets open at one of their ends, said inner section arranged in superimposed relation upon said outer section and the outer section including a facing sheet having marginal edge portions inwardly turned upon and secured to the corresponding marginal edges of said inner section and closing the pockets of the latter section along one of their side edges.

4. A billfold comprising inner and outer sections having a bill receiving pocket open along one longitudinal edge of the billfold, said inner section consisting of a single reinforced blank of flexible material having parts folded relative to yeach other to provide the inner wall of said bill receiving pocket, and additional pockets on said inner wall open at one of their ends, said inner wall having a foldable flap extension at one of its ends, a foldable member extending longitudinally upon one end of said outer section and on the inner side thereof and attached along a portion of one of its side edges to the edge of said outer section, said member having a free inner end portion, said flap extension of the inner section adapted for insertion between said member and the wall of the outer section to position said sections in superimposed relation to each other, and said outer section including a facing sheet having marginal edge portions turned inwardly upon and secured toA the corresponding edges of the folded parts of said inner section.

5. A billfold comprising inner and outer sections forming a bill receiving pocket open along one longitudinal edge of the billfold, said inner section consisting of a single blank of fiexible material, reinforcing sheets secured to one side of said material and foldable therewithto provide an inner wall for the bill receiving pocket and additional pockets on said wall open at one of their ends, said reinforced pocket walls terminating at Vopposite sides of the center of said inner wall of the bill receiving pocket, a foldable bridging sheet secured along a central transverse line to the flexible material of said inner wall and projecting in opposite directions therefrom between said additional pockets on said wall and the outer side of the wall, and said outer l section havin marginal edge portions in wardly turne upon and secured to the corresponding edges of 'thefoldedparts of said in Y ner section. i

6. A billfold comprising inner and Outer sections forming a bill receivi along one longitudinal edge o `the billfold, said inner section consisting of a single blank pocket open of flexible material having reinforced folded .interlocking means at one of their ends for positioning said sections in superimposed predetermined relation and said outer section including a facing sheet having marginal edge portions inwardly turned upon and secured to the corresponding edge portions of said inner section.

7. A billfoldcomprising inner and outer sections forming a bill receivin pocket open along one longitudinal edge o the billfold, said inner section consisting of a single blank of fiexible material having reinforced folded parts forming the inner wall of said bill receiving pockets, and additional ockets on said inner wall open at one of their ends and spaced upon opposite sides of the center of said wall, a bridging member centrally se-l cured along a transverse line to the unreinforced central part of said inner wall and extending therefrom in opposite directions between the reinforced parts of said wall and the additional pockets thereon, said outer section including a 4facing sheet and a lining sheet secured together along one of their longitudinal edges, a main reinforcing sheet secured upon one side of said lining sheet and a second reinforcing sheet secured to the lining sheet at one end thereof andv in spaced relation to said main reinforcing sheet, the wall of said inner section having a flap extension at one of its ends and a transverse slot at the inner end of the Hap extension, means attached to one end of saidouter section in terlocking with said Hap to position the slot in the wall of said inner section in registering relation with the space between said reinforcemeiits on the lining sheet of the outer section whereby said flap with the end of the outer section may be easily folded, and the facing sheet of said outer section having marginal edge portions inwardly turned upon and secured to the corresponding marginal edge rtions of said outer sections. 4

8,.- billfold com rising separate unit sections each having a ap formm end portion .H3 including parts mutuall1 inter oclcing with each other when said sections are arranged in superimposed relation to form a bill-receiving pocket therebetween, said superimposed sections adapted to be folded along a transm verse line in closing the billfold, and means for securing said sections to each other along one of their longitudinal edges and their opposite end ed es. I

9. A billfo d comprising inner and outer 15 separate unitfsections, the inner section including folded parte providing a pluralit of pockets, each o said sections at lone of t ei'r ends having fiap forming portions including parts. mutually interlocklng with each other zo to retain said sections in predetermined superimposed relation, and means for securinsaid sections together along their opposite en edges and one of their longitudinal edges, the said means' also closing the latter side ,g5 edges of the pockets of said inner section, said sections forming a `bill-receiving pocket therebetween open at the opposite longitudinal edge of the billfold.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as Y30 my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

CHARLES LENFANT. 

